BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasShoe and Leather Workers and Repairers

O*NET · 51-6041.00

Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers

Construct, decorate, or repair leather and leather-like products, such as luggage, shoes, and saddles. May use hand tools.

Also called Back Shoe Cutter · Bench Hand · Boot and Saddle Repair Person · Boot Maker · Boot Repairer · Bootmaker · Cobbler · Custom Leather Products Maker
52 more

Custom Shoe Maker · Custom Shoemaker · Dyer · Finger Cobbler · Footwear Stitcher · Hand Bootmaker · Harness Maker · Lacer · Leather Artisan · Leather Craftsman · Leather Lacer · Leather Production Artisan · Leather Production Worker · Leather Stamper · Leather Stitcher · Leather Worker · Leathersmith · Luggage Maker · Luggage Repairer · Mender · Orthopedic Boot and Shoe Designer · Orthopedic Boot and Shoe Maker · Orthopedic Boot Shoe Designer · Orthopedic Boot Shoe Maker · Orthopedic Shoe Maker · Pad Hand · Polish Inspector · Repair Cobbler · Repairer · Saddle and Harness Maker · Saddle Maker · Saddle Mechanic · Sample Sewer · Sample Shoe Inspector · Sample Shoe Reworker · Sewer · Shoe Cobbler · Shoe Cutter · Shoe Designer · Shoe Dyer · Shoe Maker · Shoe Reconditioner · Shoe Repair Cobbler · Shoe Repairer · Shoe Repairman · Shoe Stainer · Shoe Stitcher · Skate Maker · Stain Inspector · Stitcher · Trimming Cutter · Upper Cutter

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCA35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCARealistic · Conventional · Artistic — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic6.94
  • C Conventional3.19
  • A Artistic3.13
  • I Investigative1.63
  • E Enterprising1.53
  • S Social1.32

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma44%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent56%
Related work experience
None (86%)
On-site or in-plant training
None (65%)
On-the-job training
Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (31%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Monitoringbasic3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Active Listeningbasic3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Speakingbasic3.02.3Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Service Orientation2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Social Perceptiveness2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Coordination2.92.1Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Operations Monitoring2.92.1Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Time Management2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Quality Control Analysis2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
Show the other 23

Tasks

7 core · 19 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Cut out parts, following patterns or outlines, using knives, shears, scissors, or machine presses.4.4
  2. Construct, decorate, or repair leather products according to specifications, using sewing machines, needles and thread, leather lacing, glue, clamps, hand tools, or rivets.4.4
  3. Dye, soak, polish, paint, stamp, stitch, stain, buff, or engrave leather or other materials to obtain desired effects, decorations, or shapes.4.4
  4. Repair and recondition leather products such as trunks, luggage, shoes, saddles, belts, purses, and baseball gloves.4.3
  5. Align and stitch or glue materials such as fabric, fleece, leather, or wood, to join parts.4.2
  6. Inspect articles for defects, and remove damaged or worn parts, using hand tools.4.2
  7. Drill or punch holes and insert or attach metal rings, handles, and fastening hardware, such as buckles.4.0
Show the other 19
  1. Dress and otherwise finish boots or shoes, as by trimming the edges of new soles and heels to the shoe shape.4.8
  2. Prepare inserts, heel pads, and lifts from casts of customers' feet.4.8
  3. Attach insoles to shoe lasts, affix shoe uppers, and apply heels and outsoles.4.5
  4. Cement, nail, or sew soles and heels to shoes.4.5
  5. Clean and polish shoes.4.5
  6. Shape shoe heels with a knife, and sand them on a buffing wheel for smoothness.4.4
  7. Repair or replace soles, heels, and other parts of footwear, using sewing, buffing and other shoe repair machines, materials, and equipment.4.4
  8. Place shoes on lasts to remove soles and heels, using knives or pliers.4.4
  9. Check the texture, color, and strength of leather to ensure that it is adequate for a particular purpose.4.4
  10. Cut, insert, position, and secure paddings, cushioning, or linings, using stitches or glue.4.4
  11. Estimate the costs of requested products or services such as custom footwear or footwear repair, and receive payment from customers.4.3
  12. Draw patterns, using measurements, designs, plaster casts, or customer specifications, and position or outline patterns on work pieces.4.3
  13. Nail heel and toe cleats onto shoes.4.3
  14. Stretch shoes, dampening parts and inserting and twisting parts, using an adjustable stretcher.4.1
  15. Re-sew seams, and replace handles and linings of suitcases or handbags.4.1
  16. Make, modify, and repair orthopedic or therapeutic footwear according to doctors' prescriptions, or modify existing footwear for people with foot problems and special needs.3.9
  17. Read prescriptions or specifications, and take measurements to establish the type of product to be made, using calipers, tape measures, or rules.3.9
  18. Attach accessories or ornamentation to decorate or protect products.3.9
  19. Select materials and patterns, and trace patterns onto materials to be cut out.3.6

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Production and Processing3.23.3Level 4 looks like: Supervise an appliance assembly line
  • Customer and Personal Service3.02.3Level 1 looks like: Process a customer's dry-cleaning drop off
  • Mechanical2.92.7
  • Sales and Marketing2.62.8
  • Administration and Management2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Education and Training2.22.3Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
  • Engineering and Technology2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Design1.91.6Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
Show all 33
  • Economics and Accounting1.91.8Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • English Language1.91.7Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Chemistry1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Mathematics1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Psychology1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Public Safety and Security1.61.5Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • Law and Government1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Transportation1.5—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.4—
  • Administrative1.3—
  • Building and Construction1.3—
  • Computers and Electronics1.3—
  • Telecommunications1.30.3Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Biology1.2—
  • Geography1.2—
  • Physics1.2—
  • Communications and Media1.1—
  • Food Production1.1—
  • Foreign Language1.1—
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.1—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.0—
  • History and Archeology1.0—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Near Vision3.53.3Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.33.9Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Finger Dexterity3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Attach small dials to audio equipment on an assembly line
  • Problem Sensitivity3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Category Flexibility3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Control Precision3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Deductive Reasoning3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Inductive Reasoning3.02.4Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
Show all 52
  • Information Ordering3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Manual Dexterity3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Oral Comprehension3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Understand a television commercial
  • Selective Attention3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Speech Clarity3.02.5Level 1 looks like: Call numbers in a bingo game
  • Speech Recognition3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Visualization3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Multilimb Coordination2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Oral Expression2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
  • Far Vision2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Reaction Time2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.82.9
  • Written Comprehension2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Trunk Strength2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Auditory Attention2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Dynamic Strength2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Flexibility of Closure2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Fluency of Ideas2.31.5Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Originality2.31.5Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Perceptual Speed2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Rate Control2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Static Strength2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Written Expression2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Depth Perception2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Extent Flexibility2.12.3Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Explosive Strength2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.01.4Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Number Facility2.01.4Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Response Orientation2.01.5Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Speed of Closure2.01.6
  • Stamina2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Time Sharing2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to music while entering numbers into a spreadsheet
  • Gross Body Coordination1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Memorization1.80.9Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Sound Localization1.50.6
  • Glare Sensitivity1.40.4
  • Night Vision1.40.5
  • Peripheral Vision1.40.4
  • Spatial Orientation1.40.5
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.3—
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.1—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.03.2Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.84.5Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.83.3Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.72.9
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.74.8Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.73.2Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Getting Information3.63.0Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
Show all 41
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.52.6
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.52.9
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.42.6
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.43.2Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.34.0Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Thinking Creatively3.32.7
  • Processing Information3.02.1Level 1 looks like: Calculate the costs for shipping packages
  • Training and Teaching Others3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Developing and Building Teams2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.92.8
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.82.2Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Help a coworker complete an assignment
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.82.5Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.82.7
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work2.82.2Level 1 looks like: Organize a work schedule that is repetitive and easy to plan
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge2.72.1Level 1 looks like: Keep up with price changes in a small retail store
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.62.6
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.63.1Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.51.6Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Exchange information during a shift change
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.41.8Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Working with Computers2.41.7Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Documenting/Recording Information2.21.6Level 1 looks like: Record the weight of a patient during a routine health exam
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.22.0Level 1 looks like: Make appointments for patients using a predetermined schedule
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.2—

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls5.0
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.5
  • Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.4
  • Contact With Others4.3
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.3
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.3
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.3
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.3
  • Spend Time Standing4.3

Technology

5 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (1)

  • Microsoft Excel
Other tools (4)
  • Bookkeeping software
  • Financial accounting software
  • Inventory tracking software
  • Sale processing software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
  2. Sewers, Hand
  3. Sewing Machine Operators
  4. Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
  5. Upholsterers
  6. Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
  7. Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
  8. Furniture Finishers
  9. Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers
  10. Cutters and Trimmers, Hand

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.